Atty. A. Craig Cleland
Craig Cleland defends employers in litigation—including in class actions—and counsels them on compliance and risk management. He is also Co-Chair of the Firm’s Class Action Practice Group.
Profile Summary
About A. Craig Cleland at a glance
A. Craig Cleland is a employment and litigation attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, practicing at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC. Admitted to practice in Georgia, State Bar of Georgia. Educated at Georgia State University (J.D., 1992) and Yale University (—, 1983). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Employment Law - Management (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Labor and Employment (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Special Focus: (2026). Serands clients in Atlanta, GA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Want to Get Service From This Attorney?
Sign up free and choose one of the two methods below.
Have a legal question? Sign up free, submit it through the Ask the Attorney module and receive a focused answer from a specialist.
- Free to ask a question
- Answers from specialist attorneys
- Optional private / anonymous question
Request an online video meeting or an in-person consultation at the attorney's office. Pick a time that works for you and share the details securely.
- Online video meeting
- In-person at the attorney's office
- Secure messaging and payment
About
- Craig Cleland defends employers in litigation—including in class actions—and counsels them on compliance and risk management
- He is also Co-Chair of the Firm’s Class Action Practice Group
- Craig has served on several Atlanta-area nonprofit boards, including as chair
- He is currently on the Advisory Committee for the Atlanta Legal Aid Society as well as on the Board of the Atlanta Bar Labor and Employment Section
- Craig is also named in Best Lawyers in America, Atlanta Magazine’s “Super Lawyers,” Georgia Trend’s “Legal Elite,” and Chambers USA’s Leading Business Lawyers
- He is a contributor to the new editions of Black’s Law Dictionary and Garner’s Modern American Usage and a chapter editor and contributor to Lindemann & Grossman’s Employment Discrimination Law
- He also teaches Employment Discrimination Law as an Adjunct Professor at Georgia State University College of Law
- Recently, Craig was recognized as a BTI Client Service All-Star, one of 165 lawyers in the U.S. who “combine exceptional legal expertise with practical advice, business savvy and creative, effective solutions.” During law school, Craig was the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and winner of the McKenzie-McPhail Moot Court Competition
- After graduating, he clerked for U.S
- District Court Judge Marvin H. Shoob in Atlanta and then practiced at Paul Hastings before joining Ogletree Deakins
- He has also completed the Harvard Law School Mediation Program and from time to time serves as a mediator
Practice Areas Explained
A. Craig Cleland's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases A. Craig Cleland handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
A. Craig Cleland is one of 169,120 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in Georgia →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
A. Craig Cleland is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Georgia →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Georgia
Practicing law in Georgia. Legal matters in Georgia are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Atlanta are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Georgia state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Georgia brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Georgia courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Georgia attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Atlanta or all attorneys in Georgia.
Frequently Asked
Common questions about A. Craig Cleland
Where is A. Craig Cleland's law office located?
What practice areas does A. Craig Cleland handle?
Where did A. Craig Cleland go to law school?
How can I contact A. Craig Cleland for a consultation?
What awards or recognition has A. Craig Cleland received?
Practice Areas
Education
Awards
Bar Admissions
Reviews
No reviews yet.